It's Time to Give Rockets' Dorian Finney-Smith his Flowers

The Houston Rockets' decision to trade for Kevin Durant was essentially a no-brainer. The team had been in pursuit of a closer and also wanted a superstar. And the cost wasn't steep at all. Far from it, actually.

However, they had to part with Dillon Brooks, who had become a culture-setter and valuable presence. Especially for Rockets coach Ime Udoka, who values defensive effort and tenacity, which personifies Brooks.

The Rockets had to find a replacement for him. Not to mention that Brooks had also morphed into a fringe 40% long-range shooter for the Rockets — a team devoid of snipers from the outside.

They set their sights on Dorian Finney-Smith, who has become a 3-and-D wing throughout his 10 year career. Houston gave Finney-Smith a four-year deal worth roughly $53 million.

It seemed like a natural and seamless replacement, albeit with much less fanfare, as Finney-Smith isn't nearly as vocal as Brooks.

However, Finney-Smith wasn't fully healthy, at the time. That's especially become apparent now.

He missed Houston's first three months of the regular season, which amounted to 27 games. His absence has been longer, if you count training camp and the preseason, which illustrates the point.

Finney-Smith has certainly had his fair share of struggles. There's no denying that. But it shouldn't be all that surprising, considering that he didn't have training camp or a preseason. Carmelo Anthony has gone to great lengths to explain the importance of training camp and the preseason, especially when joining a new team.

Finney-Smith didn't have that.

Finney-Smith made his Rockets debut on Christmas Day, when the team faced off against the Los Angeles Lakers, his former team. The 32-year-old has taken time to get his legs under him.

Earlier in the season, his mobility looked bad, but that hasn't been the case, of late. He's not going to jump off the page from a box score standpoint. He's never been quite that player. But if you've watched, of late especially, you see his importance and his impact on the team is unquestioned.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka loves long, athletic defensive-minded wings, who are switchable, and Dorian Finney-Smith fits that profile.

Even if his scoring (or counting stats) doesn't impress you. Again, he's never been that player. Although he can stuff the stat sheet, posing eight points and seven rebounds in just 23 minutes against the Charlotte Hornets in Houston's first game since the All-Star break.

The 10-year veteran is starting to round into shape. He's gotten his legs underneath him. The mobility looks much better now.

Has he entrenched himself as a star? Certainly not. He'll likely never be that. But he doesn't have to be, in order to make a positive impact. He just needs to be healthy (which he seemingly is now).